1886 to 1889: A CRITICAL TIME FOR THE SAINTS, Ch 5 of The Church and the Priest

 1886 to 1889: A CRITICAL TIME FOR THE SAINTS, Chapter 5 of The Church and the Priesthood by Ogden Kraut

Leading up to 1886

Since the time of Joseph Smith’s first vision in 1820, the powers of the adversary have intensified against the restored Gospel. Ministers have spewed out their religious poison against it; members of the media have written lies in order to sell more publications; and the government has passed laws and more laws to “exterminate the Mormons.”

The most controversial doctrine and practice that has caused the greatest furor has been plural marriage. The LDS Church officially accepted plural marriage as a tenet of their faith in 1852. On that occasion Orson Pratt delivered the first public sermon on the subject, appropriately entitled “Celestial Marriage.” He began by saying:

It is quite unexpected to me, brethren and sisters, to be called upon to address you this forenoon; and still more so, to address you upon the principle which has been named, namely, a plurality of wives. (JD 1:53)

However, he was up to the job, and his powerful sermon covered over 12 written pages in the Journal of Discourses. It stands today as one of the finest speeches upon that subject. Two excerpts are included here:

[48]        In reply we will show you that it is incorporated as a part of our religion, and necessary for our exaltation to the fulness of the Lord’s glory in the eternal world. Would you like to know the reasons? Before we get through, we will endeavour to tell you why we consider it an essential doctrine to glory and exaltation, to our fulness of happiness in the world to come. (JD 1:54)